How Is Mobile Impacting Your Job Search?

by Kirstie Jeffries

about 3 years ago

We live in the age of the mobile phone. Every day, more and more people are turning to their smartphones to accomplish their regular tasks. But has the world of hiring caught up to our mobile-obsessed society? Earlier this year, LinkedIn surveyed 800 professionals about mobile recruiting. They found that 72% of active candidates (i.e. those actively pursuing job opportunities) and 62% of passive candidates (those not actively looking but potentially still open to new opportunities) used mobile devices to browse a company’s careers site, and 45% of active candidates and 21% of passive candidates used their phones to apply for a job. In recent conversations with two job boards, they informed us that 54% to 57% of people2people's job listings are now being viewed on mobile. Job board Indeed found that 78% of people they surveyed said that they would apply for a job via mobile if the process were simpler.

They also found that employers who allow job seekers to apply on their mobile devices get twice as many applications. However, the 13,000+ talent acquisition professionals that LinkedIn surveyed reported that only 20% had mobile-optimised career sites, which is hardly accommodating to the many jobseekers interested in using mobile for their job search. These facts are clear: recruiters, employers and job boards need to get in the mobile game.

The era of applying for jobs on the go has arrived. Are you prepared?

people2people has recently launched the mobile version of our job board. Not only will searching through our database of job listings be far easier, but you can now submit your resume straight from your phone. How does this work? If you've already created an account with people2people and uploaded your resume, you'll be able to sign in straight away.

Otherwise, you can choose to apply with your Indeed or LinkedIn profiles or upload a resume you have stored on Dropbox or Google Drive. If those options don't suit you, you can even opt to email your resume later, and you will receive an email prompt from us reminding you to submit it once you’re on your regular computer. Pretty neat, if I do say so myself! So what does this mean for you as a job seeker?

Hunt for jobs wherever you are. Utilise your time well by searching for jobs while you’re out and about, such as on your daily commute. Stay on top of job opportunities by having access to listings from wherever you are.

Start keeping your CV/resume saved online. Make sure you have an up-to-date version of your resume stored on Google Drive or Dropbox so that it’s ready to go whenever you find a job for which you are well suited.

Create profiles on job boards. Job boards like SEEK and Indeed will allow you to create a profile, fill out your details, and upload your resume. Do this in advance so you can apply for a job with the click of a button when you find the right role.

Optimise your social media profiles. Your web presence should always be employer friendly, but this is now more important than ever. Get your LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter accounts cleaned and updated.